Press Release
15 July| Delhi| Naujawan Bharat strongly condemns the vindictive hounding and witchhunt launched against Teesta Setalvad by the Government and stands in solidarity with her in the hour of assualts at her driven purely at the behest of political vendetta. The raid conducted by CBI at her office and residence on 14 July 2015 is nothing but an attempt to harrass her and to send across a reminder to all those dessidents who dare to take up a fight against the Government. The timing of the raid comes as no surprise as the Naroda Patiya appeals are scheduled to be heard on 15 July 2015 in Gujarat High Court and the Zakia Jafri case begins it final hearing on 27 July.
The CBI conducted these raids in relation to offences with the Foriegn Contribution and Regulation act (FCRA) and the alleged appropriation of funds from Ford Foundation. However, the allegations are erected on a very loose foundation, first off the documents taken by the CBI had already been volunteerly submitted by Teesta with the MHA department which overlooks the matter related to FCRA. This is not a first time when Teesta had been at the helm of assaults launched by the Gujarat or now the Modi government. What needs to be remebered is that Teesta has been responsible for more than 120 convictions in the barbaric and cold blooded Gujarat riots of 2002. Teesta has been poineering the fight for justice for the victims of 2002 riots. The cases filed in the court like Naroda Patiya ( the one involving Babu Bajrangi) and Zakia Jafri are the cause of great pain for the Modi government who has been trying day and night to remove the memory of the macabre travesty from the collective conscience of the country.
However Human right activists like Teesta are not giving up on the fight for justice. Naturally, when one takes up a fight with the powerful and mighty they will have to bear the consequences for it, this is the message being sent across by the ruthless persecution of Teesta Setalvad. While the government is mum on scams like Vyapam where more than 50 people have ended up dead under suspicious circumstances and the National General Secretary of BJP Mr. Vijayvargiya labelling Vyapam as a 'minor incident', witnesses in Assaram Bapu are getting killed, amit shah geting a clean chit in the Sohrabuddin enounter case by the CBI, disintegration of the cases where Hindutva extremists have been implicated or suspected like witnesses in Ajmer Bomb Blast case of 2007 turning hostile, closing of the Modasa case(Gujarat) of 2008 by the NIA for lack of evidence or the relevation made by the Public prosecutor Rohini Salian about being told to go soft on the Malegaon bomb blast case of 2008 by the National Investigation agency, the government is busy launching witchhunts on human right activists to settle its own political vendetta. All the incidents mentioned have happened in the course of last one year, are these the 'acche din' as promised to the people of this country. On one hand serious criminal charges against people are being overlooked and they continue to hold offices of immense political importance, human right activists are being rounded up by the governmental agenices and being tormented. Warrants are issued against the likes of Teesta who is now running from pillar to post trying to get anticipatory bail so that she can prepare for the case hearings of Gujarat riots. Naujawan Bharat Sabha condemns in the strongest possible words the persecution of Teesta Setalvad by state for its own political vendetta and extends its solemn solidarity in the fight for justice.
Delhi Unit Organizer
Sunny Singh
